Accumulator and separator attachment for gas-liquefying apparatus.



P. C. BELL. A ACGUMULATOR AND SEPARATOR ATTACHMENT POR GAS LIQUEFYING APPARATUS.

APPLIoATIoN FILED SEPT. 6, 1910.

LQQS, Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Wmesses, Z/ M Y UNITED STATES PATENT oEEroE. A

FRED C. BELL, =0]? ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIG'NOB, TO PACIFIC REFRIGERATING MACHINE COMPANY, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALI- v FORNIA.

ACCUMULATOR AND SEPARATOR ATTACHMENT FOR GAS-LIQUEFYING- APPARATUS.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED C. BELL, citizen of the United States, residing at Alameda, in the county 'of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful IImprovements in Accumulator and Separator Attachments for Gas-Liquefying Apparatus, of' which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a gas liquefying apparatus and particularly pertains to an accumulator and separator attachment therefor.

It is the object of this invention to provide an attachment for gas liquefying apparatus for the purpose of separating and accumulating uncondensable gases and other foreign matters, and to provide means whereby' these uncondensable gases and foreign matters may be removed while the apparatus lis in operation, thus producing a continuously operating gas condensing or liquefying plant.

In the gas condensers or liqueiiers now generally in use, there is always some gas present that is not liquefiable at the pressure and temperature necessary for the liquefaction'of the gas `that is being treated or operated on. For example: In working with ammonia gas the gas may lne-admitted into the condenser at the pressure of say 150 pounds and liquefaction takes place by the combined action of this pressure and the cooling medium provided by awater jacket or other suitable means, the resulting liquid flowing from the condenser to be used as desired. Entrained however, with these gases are other gases which are not condensable at the pressure and temperature operated under, and it is the'object of the present invention to provide a suitable mechanism for-separating and accumulating these 'uncondensable gases, and also oils and other liquids which may be condensed, but which do not mix with the unliqueiiedl gas, and which it is desired. to collect an liqueied gas. These liquid. by-products may consist of oil, water or other llquids.`

The invention consists of the parts and construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a vertlcal section of the invention as applied.

Specification of Letters Patent.

separate from the v Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Application led September 6, 1910. Serial No. 580,592.

In' the drawing A represents the gas condensmg tubes orcoils of a gas liquefying apparatus which pass back and forth through a series of water-jackets 2, the upper tube A entering the water-jackets 2 being connected wlth a suitable source of gas supply and the lower tube A leading to a vertically disposedcylinder 6 and thence to a liquid receiver 3 throughv a discharge pipe A. The water-jacket 2 is connected to a water inlet 4: at its lower end and has a discharge outlet olat'its upper end. VIn operating the condenser a continuous liow of water, of a suitable temperature is caused to circulate through the water-jacket 2 around the condenser tubes A so as to provide a cooling agency which tends to cause a condensation of certain gases within the tubes A; this condensed liquid accumulating in the bottom of cylinder 6 below the outlet A and thence flowing out therethrough to receiver 3.

The present 4invention resides in dispos- Aing a vertical cylinder 6 in the liquid discharge pipe A leading -from the condenser tubes A, said cylinder 6 being a gas chamber of ample proportions above the inlet to permit of the ready separation of gases of different specific gravity into different strata, with means such as a valve 7 for drawing off the lighter gases-from the top of the cylinder. The lower part of this vertical cyllnder has a suitable liquid reservoir space 6 for the collectionand separation of the liquid products, the heavier condensed matters being drawn of at the bottom from time to time through a valve 8,l while the liqueed gases are allowed to iow on through the pipe A to the receiver 3.

VIn practice, when the condenser A is working it will sometimes fill up with air, or other foreign gases, dueto the operation of the pressure or some other unforeseen circumstances, and it then becomes necessary to get rid of'this air or other gases, before condensation can take place. By disposing my condensing or separating cylinder 6 so that the lower part 6 is below the bottom drains than the gas to be condensed, are ushed forward through the condensing coi s A by the pressure of the incoming gas, and are caused to enter the gas receiving chamber 6. This `A of the condensing apparat-us, all unconi Vdensable gases be they lighter or heavier the system while the apparat-us is in operation. The invention in fact, renders a continuously operating condensing plant. If no means are provided for the drawing of these uncondensable gases from the bottom tube A. ofthe condenser they will accumulate to such an extent that the interior of the tubes A will become practically clogged and consequently the cooling surface will be so occupied by this uncondensable gas that no cooling space will be left to be operated on, resulting in the nullifcation or suspension 'of the condensing operations, and requiring a shutting down of the apparatus until the foreign gases can be purged from the pipes. This gas chamber or gas column is provided in the cylinder above the condensed liquid inlet.

The tendency of the uncondensable gases to rise in the cylinder 6 insures their not entering the liquid inlet pipe A leading to the yreceiving tank 3.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byk Letters Patent, is

1. An accumulator and separator for gas liquefying apparatus comprising avertically disposed cyllnder, an inlet to said cylinder .connecting with a condenser, an outlet to said cylinder connected with a liquid receiver, said inlet and`said outlet beingdisposed a substantial distance above the' bottom of said cylinder, the space in the cylinder above the inlet and outlet forming a.

gas receptacle and the space below the inlet and outlet forming a liquid reservoir.

2. An accumulator and separator for gas li quefying apparatus, comprising a vertically disposed cylinder, anV inlet to said cylinder connecting With' a condenser, an outlet to said cylinder connectingywith a liquid receiver, said vinlet and said outletl being disposed a` substantial distance ,above the bottom of said cylinder, the space in the cylwitnesses.

FRED C. BELL. lVitnesses:

JOHN B. PENNYCOTT, ROBERT P. NICHOLSON. 

